A Tale of Flowers and the Night
by Stubbs101
Summary: Our story takes place in the past, Demons, Witches, Werewolves, Vampires and more are a blight throughout the land. The humans combat this plague with groups of Slayers. But a few refuse groups, hunting alone. The greatest of which, was the Battousai.
1. Chapter 1

I'd thought I'd try my hand at a third person story. It's an idea I had while watching "Rosario + Vampire" I don't know why, the only similarities are that both my story and theirs involves the supernatural. I'll give this a try anyway.

A Tale of Flowers and the Night.

Our story takes place in the past, Demons, Witches, Werewolves, Vampires and more are a blight throughout the land. The humans combat this plague with groups of Slayers. But a few refuse groups, hunting alone. The greatest of which, was the Battousai.

His red hair mixed with the shower of blood that covered his head and washed down his back as he pulled his sword free from the last of the pack demons. His shadowed eyes swept the field that had become a bloodbath, finding no other threats, the man uses an assassin flick to clean his sword and, turning from the destruction, begins his walk back to town.

The whispers started almost as soon as he arrived. It was said that the Battousai was a demon himself or that being bathed in the blood of a thousand demons had turned Him into one. Or that the only thing binding him to his flesh was the cross shaped scar on his cheek. There was even a rumour that he only ate human flesh, so it was a surprise to the town's people when he reached into he once purple gi and took out some dried fruit. Kenshin looked at the fruit, It was covered in blood. He sighed and discarded it. He heard the whispers floating away, "See I told you he couldn't eat human food."

He sighed, Yesterday they sat next to him in the tavern while he had Peking Duck, now, he was a demon. Sent from a hell or some such place. It was always the way for some Slayers, they were always on the fringe of society. Ken always wondered why it was him who attracted the names. "Battousai the Man Slayer," The Demon Battousai" "The Golden Eyed Hitokiri." His eyes were violet for gods sakes. And despite what people said they did NOT change colour.

It wasn't as if he was the only lone Demon Slayer, He'd run into the Tenken, he a strange guy by the name of Soujiro. His nickname was the "Heaven's Sword." The people in that town thought Soujiro was there to kill Kenshin himself. Another Slayer was a man by the name of Shishio, he was wrapped from head to toe in bandages and as good a candidate for a devil in a human form as there ever was.

Ken sighed, just get paid and then he could get out of here. The centre of the town was an old church, It was usual for requests for Slayers to be nailed to the door with payment supplied by the town and held at the church for safe keeping as the church were meant to be honest party. For the most part it worked.

The Priest looked shocked that Ken could even enter through the big front doors. The demon blood on his clothes on the other hand, couldn't. As he passes through the blood was driven out as if it had hit a wall, falling to the floor in a red pool at the doorway. If anything the Priest looked even more scared by this apparent act of magic as he backed up against the altar.

"You know, that really shouldn't have come as a shock, you know those hound demons couldn't enter this place so it makes sense their blood can't." Kenshin said in a dull voice. "Can I have the reward now?"

The priest stuttered and reached behind the altar and handed Kenshin the bag of silverware. Ken sighed it would have to do. He could use the silver for another dagger. His last one was left in a werewolf somewhere between this village and the last.

It was a failing that Kenshin had. He always took the jobs, no mater how hard or how little pay. He hatted seeing people in distress, and wouldn't hesitate to help in whatever way he could. For the most part this meant Slaying. Defending the helpless was how he saw it. It was also all Ken could remember.

As he walked out of town he found himself thinking back to his old master. He'd saved him from a group of Banshees that had killed the caravan he and his family had been travelling with. All Kenshin could remember from back then was the screams. Shaking these thoughts from his head he headed out of the village and headed South.

As he passed the exit another group entered. They gave Ken a wide birth and eyed him with suspicion. Slayers for the most part work in groups, the reward would be split but you were more likely to live to collect it. Only the truly great or truly stupid worked alone. Kenshin always felt his master would tell him he was stuck with option number two.

Kenshin sighed and set off. It was a two-day walk to the next town and it was a lonely road. But he wouldn't drag anyone with him.

The sun was low in the sky when Kenshin decided to break for tea. Unfortunately due to the bloody mess earlier his food had been spoiled, it was best not to eat anything that had been touched by demon blood, even if it had been cleaned by the church's arch. Kenshin started to search by the path for any fruit or berries. Sighing with frustration he began to push his way further into the bushes hoping for signs of berries or maybe an apple tree. Hoping against hope he pushed on further into the woods.

"This is ridiculous," He said to himself and as he turned to head back to the road something caught his eye, There was a pear tree standing not 20 yards away. Thanking his good luck he wandered over and with a few quick jumps he was among the branches. From his high viewpoint he could see all the way to back to the path and beyond.

As the sun sank lower it cast some interesting shadows in the distance across the path, picking a couple of pears for later he jumped down and fought his way back to the path and onto the far side. After ten minutes of undergrowth and spiky bushes, Ken was about to give up when he stumbled into a cleared area.

As he looked around he found that what he first took to be bushes, tuned out to be gravestones covered in creepers. Wandered around he began to find the markings of the church itself. It wasn't hard once he knew what he was looking at. He could make out the old altar and the congregation chairs as well as the priest's sanctuary, all defined by a series of small broken walls. As he wandered towards the entrance to the church he found the old oak doors lying on the floor under a see of moss and creepers, They had lasted surprisingly well for how old the ruins were.

As Kenshin looked closer he noticed a spot had been cleared in the moss in about the centre of the door, He bent down for a closer look and found a flash of white paper under the vines pined to the old door. He reached down to pick it up. It was a request for a slayer.

To Any Slayers It May Concern

_I'm alone, in danger and in need of your help._

_Karou_

Kenshin read it over again. It made very little sense, requests usually started with a rough description of what the danger was, even if it was just "We have no idea but it's killed 3 people" as well as the reward "We have some copper pots you might like".

Kenshin wandered out to a gravestone and sat on it. Who would write a request out here and pin it to a long forgotten church door. Yes consecrated ground was consecrated ground no matter how long ago it happened but requests are meant to be put where people could see them. Not hidden away in a forest clearing.

Looking at the paper again Ken could see it was relatively fresh, there was no sign of rain damage or decay. He guessed it was about a week old. By this time the sun was well and truly setting, Ken looked around and though to himself, Well, Its not the first time I've slept in a church. And with that thought wandered back into the ruins and made himself comfortable against what was left of a wall. Safe in the knowledge that whatever came in the night couldn't cross the threshold without a great deal of noise, he went to sleep.

Those of you who have read my stuff before (only one story mind you) know that I write these things on commuting train rides, please forgive the grammar, I am working on it.

Anyway, tell me what you think I'm not fussy. Also, if anyone can think of a better name than "Slayer" for a Demon hunter I would be much obliged.

Till next time Stubbs


	2. Chapter 2 edit

I'm back, thanks to the two of you who reviewed (skenshingumi and K) It's nice to see people are reading. Speaking of which, I've reread the last chapter and spotted some tremendous gaffs in terms of spelling and word placement (I swear they weren't there when I proof-read it). Anyway I hope you people aren't fussed about grammar because I've got another chapter for you.

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Kenshin's eyes flashed open his and grabbing his sword the moon filtered into the ruins of the church through the treetops of the forest. His eyes swept the area looking for what had woken him up. He could hear nothing, sense nothing and then, as if from nowhere, a woman began running through the trees, her complexion was ghost white and her hair streamed out as if caught in an unseen breeze. Every so often she glanced over her shoulder as if she was being followed. It didn't look like she'd seen Kenshin yet.

He got up silently and moved to a gap in the wall for a better view. The young woman reached the broken doors and bent down and stood up shocked. Ken felt this was the point that he should introduce himself.

"If you're looking for help," Kenshin said, appearing in the broken doorway, pulling the paper from his gi. "You might want to put a bit more detail in it"

The dark haired lady all but disappeared, reappearing at the tree line in a feat of speed that Kenshin himself would be hard pushed to beat.

"Who are you?" She asked hiding in the shadows of the tree.

"Well that depends on you, did you request a Slayer?" Ken replied as he sat down on the ruins of the wall. He examined the lady again. Her fast movements hinted at power.

"I did, although I never expected one to show." She smiled to herself, "I thought it was a myth that Slayers could sense where they were needed." Kenshin said nothing, he had never heard of that on, most people thought of Slayers as a kind of bounty hunter, going where they weren't needed. He was about to ask her meaning when two men came bursting out of the trees dressed in some sort of uniform.

"Karou, you know better than to run like that! The Master won't like it if he knows you're here again. You know his moods!" one said, "Besides, I heard that the Battousi killed you're Master's hounds this morning and that's put him in a foul temper!"

That confirmed it, as far as Kenshin was concerned the woman and the two men weren't human. But why had she requested a slayer? It baffled him. He stepped out of the ruined church and into the graveyard. The two men reacted to him as if he had appeared by magic. If they couldn't see him on consecrated ground, that meant they were a low class demons, possibly turned humans.

"What do you want a Slayer for? You seem to be the type I'm hired to kill?" Kenshin asked over the mens' heads as they moved into flanking positions either side of Kenshin. She hadn't moved since the they had charged into the clearing. Kenshin turned to examine the two 'men' as his hand dropped to his sword. The moonlight reflected off their eyes casting a red sheen and if he wasn't mistaken, their teeth was lengthening. "Vampires," he though, "decapitations or hearts only, not a problem." But why was the woman so calm, This didn't appear to be a trap, the vampires were after her originally.

There was a flash of movement from both sides as the two Vampires attacked, leading with their mouths. Kenshin's sword flashed out of his sheath, taking the first in the neck, removing the head. Using the momentum from the swing, Kenshin spun on his heal and dropped to his knee, the second Vampire received Kenshin's sword with a straight thrust though the chest. Both of the vampires dusted away leaving piles of ash that only burnt when they drifted onto the sacred ground behind him.

"So," Kenshin said, looking back to Karou "Why do you want a Slayer?"

"Protection," she said, walking back into the moonlight, "I need help getting away from my master"

"It doesn't seem like you need it," Kenshin said as he re-sheathed his sword.

***

Karou walked forward. The Slayer in front of her cut an impressive figure silhouetted in the moonlight. He was clearly human as she could tell from the smell of his blood and yet, he was not afraid of her. He clearly knew what she was. Every human she had encountered in her long life had been afraid once they knew. The groups of Slayers that had occasionally come for her put on an act, but never the less, they were frightened, she could smell it. But when he first spoke, she was the one who had retreated to the tree line. It was as if he had appeared from inside the church. She refused to believe she had been scared.

She must have missed him earlier due to the purifying properties of the church, and he must have arrived in daylight, which would have burnt off any trail she could have smelled. That must have been what happened, because Karou refused to believe that this … man, had just 'appeared' in he old church.

Her mother, a full blooded vampire used to tell her stories of Slayers, like her father, who protected the land from the 'true demons' as she called them. But times changed. Her father died, Vampires turned on each other and on the humans, Places of safety became places of pain, the churches that had once sheltered Karou and her mother now burnt at the touch. Slayers became diluted with nothing more than shadows of their former power. Groups of humans relying on numbers and luck to make their kills. A near century of experience had taught her this and yet, standing in front of her was a true Demon Slayer.

"I was told that no one would help me" Karou told the man "I left the note here on a whim. I never expected anyone to come" She had left the note on a whim, She had come intending to throw herself through the doors of her old church, and while summing up the courage she had looked at the old doors and thought of her father. It was then that she decided to leave the note instead and returned. She had returned tonight fleeing her Masters wrath and fully intending to die by her own choosing when she saw the note had gone.

She decided didn't care how it happened anymore, There was a true Demon Slayer standing in front of her, if she could persuade him to help, she might hope for a life again. That was if he didn't kill her first.

"Have you heard of Takeda Kanryu?" she asked him.

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I know Kanryu was Megumi's Boss but he fits the position so well, and I'm crap with names. Anyway, there's a button at the bottom of the page, press it and review. That way everyone's happy, don't worry I'll respond if I can (That's right Q, how can I send a thanks if your anon.?)

Until the next massacre of the English language (You never know, I might actually _describe_ something!?) Hopefully the chapter will be longer.

Stubbs


	3. Chapter 3

In the words of Johnny … I'm back! (I think it was Johnny anyway.) thank you to all you reviewers out there, especially to those of you who corrected my spelling! Consummated is definitely not the same as consecrated. (Ask your mother if you don't know Hehe)

Thanks to miniwoo, gure, skenshingumi, Reignashii and osvark for there reviews. summer_star, and the lady need to get an account to get responses, (thanks to them too)

Anyway on with he show.

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"_Have you heard of Takeda Kanryu?" she asked him._

Takeda Kanryu, that is a name with a bad history. Supposedly people who opposed him died, usually painfully and very rarely by themselves. If you wanted to strike fear into the populous, you just have to suggest that Kanryu was taking an interest in their town.

Kenshin himself had never gone directly against him, In fact, Kenshin wasn't sure if he was real, in much the same way people didn't believed in the Battousai. If it weren't for the corroborating evidence of the two ex-vampires, He'd be inclined to say the lady was making it up.

Ken looked at her "Your master is Takeda? That doesn't bode well for you. Do you have a plan of escape or are we going to have to fight all comers?"

"You're taking the job?" The lady's eyes stared into Kenshin's for the first time, making Ken think they could see his soul. "Well," Ken replied, a bit flustered "I've never refused a request before, I don't see why I should now"

"By the way," he said rubbing his neck in a nervous manner "I not introduced myself. I'm Himura Kenshin"

Karou gave him a look of pure terror and whispered "I've just hired the Bat… Batt…Battousi." and then dropped to the floor in a dead faint.

"Huh?" Ken said as he walked over to the unconscious woman, "I probably shouldn't be surprised" He thought to himself, "I get the same response from people."

He resisted the temptation to prod her unconscious body with a stick. He thought it would be rude

--- --- ---

When Karou woke up she found herself by a fire underneath a blanket in a small clearing a good deal away form the graveyard with no sign of the Battousai. She shivered to herself, and muttered "I've just hired the Battousai, what was I thinking? I'm just as dead as if I'd jumped into the church." She'd heard of the Slayer Battousai, it was said to have no mercy for anyone, she'd heard from others that he probably wasn't human. That he was some sinned demon, come back to reap terrible vengeance on all.

By many accounts, He wasn't much better than Takeda. Vicious, merciless and deadly.

"It appears I have a reputation on the other side as well." Kenshin said quietly. Karou spun around and saw him sitting against a tree.

"I moved us away from the church, I figured it wouldn't be a good idea to hang around if your being followed." The Battousi said as he moved to put another log on the fire, "So, Who is your master, the supposed man behind the myths?" he asked looking at her in the flickering dark.

Pushing the blanket down Karou looks at him and instead asks, "Why did you light a fire?" She said as her eyes turning to the flames, "It ruins your night vision and it is not cold so you do not need the heat?"

She stared into the flames, as if hoping to banish the thoughts of a pursuit and the world into the swirl of yellows and reds.

The Battousi smiled a sad smile and backing down he answered "I didn't light it for me. You were very cold, I wasn't sure if you were meant to be, and considering I'm working for you, I would like you to be alive at the end of it. So…" He gestured with his hand over the blanket and the fire. "…I thought I'd warm you up." he gave Karou a look of puzzlement "Do you have to be inside at sunrise?"

She gave the Redhead a look and replied sharply "Do you have to be asleep by Sundown?"

He returned the look with his own cold blue eyes from underneath the curtain of red of hair "I'm sorry I didn't know. I don't have many dealings with vampires, for the most part they're just after my throat". Karou paused, How many of her kin had met their end looking into those same cold eyes.

She shivered.

She looked back to the flames, "I prefer to sleep every day, but if I have to, I can go for about three days without sleep before I collapse. Prolonged sun exposure just gives me bad burns, it's not fatal, Just painful."

There was a pause in the conversation as both of them tried to work out what to say next. Nether wanted to offend the other. "Listen" Ken said breaking the silence, "You need to tell me about Kanryu, I can't protect you from what I don't."

"What do you know?" Karou reposed resigning to the inevitable,

Ken smiled grimly, "Not much, He's the supposed mastermind behind the massacres of Wayfair village and Magenter town. But I have my doubts about Magenter as I killed the Fell beast that did. He's probably not human, but employs humans, or enslaves humans, I've heard he deals in black magic and weapons. As well as having a ring of guards made up of Demons, until I met you, I thought they were willing."

"Some are," Karou replied, "the weaker ones especially, They use it as protection from stronger powers, You don't mess with a member of the Kanryu Clan, Or he'll send the Battousi after you. " She laughed, "Some people really believe it too."

She paused, "If your in this realm, you pay Kanryu. As well as the King" Kenshin thought on this, "So the village back there, they pay tribute to him?"

"Of course" Karou said, puzzled, "Why?"

"Does that mean that he authorised them to put up a request against the demon hounds?" Ken asked, keeping his anger well hidden.

"Probably, If he didn't there in for hell." Karou said.

There was a pregnant pause, "Those two idiots sent to retrieve you said he was unhappy" Ken said, "I don't think he had, What would he send to punish them?"

"Probably a pack of Were-wolfs, go in, kill a few 'non-providers' and leave."

"Non-providers?" Kenshin asked, not liking the sound of that,

"Women and children" Karou said, hiding her face.

The thought that ran through Kenshin's mind was, "I've just taken their silverware away and the church won't stop were's. I have to stop them." He took a breath, there was no point rushing back and missing something vital, more haste less speed.

Karou smiled, the Battousi's heart had speed up as if worried about something and then all of a sudden calmed as if nothing had happened. He was a true Slayer, no doubt about it. He had no fear of death, and was in total control of his body. By the way he killed the vampires sent to retrieve her, he was trained from a very young age too. She might just survive.

"Who and what will he send after you?" Ken asked as he considered the options.

"If he's the same as last time It will be more vampires, then were-wolves, and finally the Sceadugengan(1)" At this Ken's head shot up

"A Sceadugengan!? Those shape shifting bastards. How the hell is he controlling one of them? The clan would have killed any member under another's control."

Karou sighed "By controlling the whole clan at once. Five in all."

Ken sighed, "There goes travelling at night. There almost invisible in the dark."

"You've fought them before?" Karou asked, with amazement for the first time in her eyes

Kenshin nodded, he had fought one before. It had been a close match. He remembered it had been like striking at shifting shapes and shadows. If it hadn't been for the snow on the ground to track it's steps, Ken was not sure he would have won.

"Will he attack the village in the day or the night?" Ken asked suddenly

"Night probably, to cause more fear."

More to himself Kenshin said "I haven't heard anything this night and we're only a few hours away." He Paused "We'll head back tonight, that way you can rest up in the day and when they come tomorrow, they'll be in for a surprise."

"Hang on, you're supposed to be helping me escape! Not taking me into a battle!" Karou shrieked

"I'm not, I'm taking you into a one sided massacre," Kenshin grinned, "besides, I already know you can beat werewolves. Otherwise how would you know about the Sceadugengan?" Ken smiling, as he got up.

"Come on, he said offering his hand, it's about three hours back with sunup in two. And, unlike you, I've not had any rest tonight."

Karou sulked, muttering to herself as she followed the Battousi back to the path, "I should have thrown myself through into the church, it would have been quicker." Kenshin smiled to himself, This would work, he could protect the villagers and evaluate her fighting skills all in one go, and besides, she was cute when she was mad.

He could almost forget that she was a vampire at all.

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(1) Sceadugengan (Shadow-goer.) If I'm correct are mentioned in passing in the original Beowulf.

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Well, Were out of the woods and heading back to the village, Hope you liked it, leave a review and I'll respond, and please don't be afraid to correct spelling, grammar and so on. I took Physics and Woodwork, not English (or L.A. Depending on the country) See ya. (Oh yeah, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin I've forgotten to say that the last two times.)

Stubbs out


	4. Chapter 4

Welcome back!

First of all a big shout out to: Katato2013, gure, skenshingumi, poems2songs, and the perepetual annon. summer_star. I hope I replyed to you all and hope you like this new chapter.

I'm beginning to wish I'd planed the story out. I'm getting fed up rereading what I've written and fitting in my story around it, I had two good plot lines but had to abandon them because of inconsistencies, what a pain. Still I hope it isn't noticeable.

And now, on with the show

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Neither Kenshin nor Karou had spoken a word to each other for the last two hours of the trip back to the village. That was not to say it was quiet, Karou had been muttering under her breath for the last hour and it was fraying on Kenshin's nerves.

"Still don't know why we have to go to that damn village" mutter Karou for what seemed like the hundredth time, the result of which made Kenshin's eye twitch. "We could heading into the next county by now" She muttered into the steadily approaching dawn. She glanced at the sky "I'm going to get so burnt" Karou said. It was the last straw for Ken, breaking his "proverbial camel's" back.

"For all that's holy will you be QUIET!" he yelled as he rounded on his travelling companion

"WHY ARE WE GOING TO A FIGHT?!" Karou yelled right back, "It must true that you're drawn to violence. I thought you were different from the rest."

"It's not like that at all!" Kenshin yelled back, "It's not like that at all" he said in a whispered

"Well then what is it about?" Karou snapped back with little mercy,

"I can't leave them unprotected" Ken sighed, "I have their silverware as payment for the last contract, If a pack comes as you say they don't stand a chance. Even with the group of slayers that came after I'd finished. They don't stand a chance. If I'm there, I can stop it from happening."

Karou looked at him "Nothing I say is going to talk you out of this is it?"

"No." Ken replied, "If you really want to, You can hide with the villagers when they come, you don't have to fight." Ken said. "In fact, it might be better, you can stay hidden from Kanryu this way."

"I don't want to hide from him." Karou said in a hushed tone "I wanted to be free from him!" The forest path seemed to darken as her temper rose, "He brings nothing but destruction. He's taken everything from me until I had nothing left." The air took on a frightening chill. "I will not yield to him anymore!" the area around her became as dark as midnight, the wind wiped at her tattered white dress and the coldness of the air stole Kenshin's breath. Subconsciously his hand drifted once more to his ever ready sword, but just as quickly as it came Karou fell to her knees and sobbed, "Who am I kidding, I'll never escape!"

Kenshin, still reeling from the amount of power shown before him, was slow to react to her crying form in the middle of the now quiet path. Dropping his small pack that contained all his worldly goods he desperately tried to find his blanket to wrap around her shoulders. By the time he'd found it and turned back to Karou she was standing again looking at him oddly "What are you doing?" she asked.

Ken just stared back. "I was looking for… I mean, because you were… never mind" he hung his head and replaced the blanket. If it weren't for the trust he had in himself he would never have believed the whole episode had happened.

As they started on their way again Kenshin's acute hearing picked up her whisper "I'm not going to break down again. I mean I've got the deadliest human alive on my side. I've got to have a chance."

He felt it would be best if he hadn't heard that. He didn't begrudge her a moment of self-pity, He'd had enough of them himself to know.

Karou glanced across at the Slayer, she could tell nothing from his blank face but as the rising sun brought the long night to an end, she remembered her feelings in the clearing a few mere hours ago, standing among the flowers on the graves. It was hope.

As the sun rose higher into the morning sky, the pair walked on in uncomfortable silence.

If nothing else came from this little trip, Karou thought, she could evaluate how much of the Battousai's myth was just myth. By the way he carried himself though, she was willing to bet her life that his skill was every bit a fact. With a were-pack on it's way she would find out if she was right, or dead.

The sun was well above the tree line now and the sleeping world was waking up, birds were singing in the hedgerows. Flowers were opening up around the pair as they continued on towards the village.

"Kenshin?" Karou asked in a quiet voice "Do you still have that blanket that available?"

"Yes I do, Why?" he answered as he looked at her.

"Because I'm getting a little hot" Kenshin glance at her, and then stared. Reaching into his bag again he pulled out the blanket and wordlessly he handed it across. Karou's normally alabaster white skin was starting to turn a painful burnt red colour. It was as if she'd been in the sun for hours as opposed to the twenty minuets of dawn. "I hope they have some lemons in this village because this is going to sting later" Karou commented in an off hand sort of way.

Karou wrapped the blanket around her head and sheltered her arms in shadow of the blanket. She glanced back at Kenshin "What?" She asked, "I told you I got burned in sunlight."

Ken gave her a look, and set off again. Karou hurried to catch up. When she did he asked, "Are you going to need the blanket when we walk into the village?"

"Well no, but I don't want to be burnt unnecessarily. It does hurt you know."

"I think it's going to cause a big enough scare that I'm back, If we can hide the fact you're a vampire it will help. It may be better if you follow me in instead pretend not to be with me."

"Why" Karou asked in genuine surprise, "It's going to be bloody obvious that I'm not human. I'm not exactly dressed for the part." She said gesturing from under the blank down he ruined dress to he unshod feet.

"Before you enter, loose the blanket and no one will notice, Trust me" Ken said looking at her. He came to a stop, "Around the next corner is the main road into the village, once you've passed the gate go four buildings along and on your right is an inn, go in and take a seat out of the way, I'll see you there."

"But…" Karou cried out, but Ken had gone.

"Shit," Karou cursed to herself. "I'm not getting left behind again. He's supposed to protect me."

Dumping the blanket and flinching as the sun's rays flirted over her skin once again, she set off around the corner. Hoping she didn't have to kill anyone when she arrived.

She turned the corner in the road and saw the village for the first time. It wasn't as impressive as she'd hoped. The wall was nothing more than a series of thin wooden posts about the height of a man with what looked like a large set of double doors as a gate, Frankly Karou felt she could have built a better defence with children's building blocks.

Ahead she could see the blood red hair of Kenshin as he approached the village's entrance. He appeared to be causing a stir. The guards hearts were beating so fast she could hear them from all of 200yds away (180m approx.) They were terrified.

Kenshin ignored their challenges completely as he walked strait past. The guards followed him unsure if they should try to stop him. 'What a strange welcoming for a Hero.' Karou thought, as she watched people shut up windows and drag their children indoors and away from the red haired man.

As Karou wandered through the unprotected gate and watched from the shadows, as more town guards turned up and surrounded him as he headed to the centre of the village. Karou spotted the inn he'd been talking about. It was a rather cosy place and she wanted to get out of the sun as soon as possible. She tried the main door to find it locked. She banged on it and decided to take a bit of a risk and whispered through the door, "Don't leave me out here, you know who just walked in!"

Their was a sound of a bar being moved and the door opened and she was dragged in by an unseen arm.

"Shush, keep it down!" the owner of the arm said. He was a man who was no older than twenty. He had the feeling of a fighter, not a bar man. Karou took in her surroundings. Standing at various windows around the inn's walls was a motley crew. She assumed that they were the other slayers Kenshin had mentioned. Their weapons were in their hands as they glared out of the window and their armoured clothing showed signs of battle damage. These were not men to be taken lightly.

The rest of the inn goers where huddled behind the bar. Three women and two kids who were guarded by three elderly gentleman, one of which was holding what might have been a sword at some point. Karou guessed that if the two children were the innkeeper's daughters then the gentleman clutching an old sword would be the innkeeper.

If she had to fight she would never be able to keep it contained to just this inn. The hunters were too well armed and too skilled for a quiet resolution. As Karou considered her options a lady stepped out from behind the bar and approached her causing Karou to stiffen imperceptibly.

The lady reached out her hand and said "You poor dear, It's not safe with the Battousai back in town." And pulled Karou to the group behind the bar.

"What's he come back for, we paid him properly." Karou overheard one of the ladies saying behind her.

Over by the window she heard one of the seven hunters muttering to his companion, a tall man wearing a trench coat over chain mail, "Bastard stole our reward and comes back to show off."

"I doubt it Bensan, the Battousai's never been known to brag. Let's wait and see" The tall man replied

Karou smiled, Kenshin had been right. No one paid any attention to the arrival of a burnt young lady in a tattered dress. But the smile fell from her face as she stood on something sharp, 'I still need some shoes.' She though to herself.

Kenshin on the other hand had been walking towards the church with his own squad of guards surrounding him unsure if they were guarding the village from him or him from the village. As he walked he quietly noticed that some of them looked rather professional. It had also not escaped his attention that the hunters were currently in the inn where he'd sent Karou. He would have permitted himself a smile, (if it hadn't terrified the guards that surrounded him.) The village could stand a chance against a werewolf pack, with his help of course, but he had a lot to do today if they would be ready by nightfall.

It had been puzzling him since he'd walked though the gates how he would tell the villagers that they were in danger without them deciding the danger was him. As he approached the church doors he had an idea. He ignored the Mayor, who had arrived and was trying to tell him that he'd been paid for his services and therefor was no longer needed, and walked into the church.

"Reverend" He called out, "I mean you no harm. If I could borrow some Paper, Pen and some ink I will leave."

"Promise?" Came a voice from behind the alter. Kenshin sighed, and nodded.

The guards outside the church were getting nervous. Their chief, A man called Kotaro, was arguing with the mayor. "The Battousai saved this town! There was no way we could have killed those hounds!"

The mayor, his voice strained "But those were Kanryu's hounds! You know he sent them because we didn't pay!"

"If we'd paid, we'd have starve, I will not see my boy go hungry again!" Kotaro said anger in his voice.

"We should have paid! You've doomed us all" The mayor cried. Just as the surrounding guards were choosing their side, the church doors opened and the Slayer stood there. His small stature radiated power, Kataro knew that if the man intended trouble, there wouldn't be much he or his guards could do about it. It wasn't until the Battousai turned to close the doors that he noticed there was something in his hand.

Kenshin reached up and pinned the paper to the door, permitting himself a little smile, he was proud of himself. He hadn't practised writing for many years and was rather proud of the results. He turned and wandered towards the inn where Karou and the Slayer band resided. All that was left to do would be to recruit them and his plan would work.

The mayor and the guardsmen gathered around the note. Those who could read stiffened.

Kataro took it upon himself to read it out:

"To any Citizen of this villageI need help to defend this village against a werewolf attack tonight. If you are interested, I shall be awaiting you the inn by the gate until sunset.The reward will be your lives, and the lives of this village. Failure will result in the death of everyone.Slayer Battousai"

There was only one thought passing through Kataro's head after this grim announcement, and it was 'The Battousai has terrible, terrible, handwriting'

~-~ ~-~ ~-~ ~-~

I hope most people know that fresh lemon juice is a good method for treating sunburn, as well as vinegar. The problem with vinegar is you end up smelling like a fish and chips shop. My helpful hint for today.

I would also like to note that I've just watched "Sword of the Stranger" and thought it good, if you liked the Kenshin OVE's then you'll like this.

I also need advice on the Slayers in the inn, I've two ideas for them one simple, and the other is complex. Its all a question as to who they work for.

Anyway, review and get a reply, Unless your anonymous then you wont.

See you next time.

Stubbs


	5. Chapter 5

Hi all, Well it's been years since I've updated this story, due to a number of reasons, First and foremost I deleted a months worth of work on this story and saved it! I was distraught at the thought of writing it all again, still, I have, hopefully its better for it. That and pouring coke onto the laptop slowed me up a bit. Other stuff too but that's boring.

Thanks to Freaked Out Angel, Innocent Battousai, Katato2013, dragonbharg for reviewing last time, I hope I can turn these out a little quicker this time. Thanks as well to all those people who put this on their watch list.

Anyway, on with the show, sorry if it feels rushed.

* * *

Last time:

_"To any Citizen of this villageI need help to defend this village against a werewolf attack tonight. If you are interested, I shall be awaiting you the inn by the gate until sunset._

_The reward will be your lives, and the lives of this village. Failure will result in the death of everyone._

_Slayer Battousai"_

* * *

Karou listened to the people round her discuss what Kenshin was doing back in the town, their reasons ran for the stupid to the down right impossible, 'that much blood would become sticky, why would you want to bath in it?' she thought to herself.

Shaking off the though she considered her options, she was surrounded by women and children guarded by a few frail men and then by a veteran group of Slayers, if she was discovered to be a vampire here, it would not end well.

The shutters had been drawn across the windows only allowing thin sunbeams to catch the motes of dust in the air. The inn on the whole would have been quite homely if it wasn't for the tension in the room. All the hunters, save for the leader, a tall man with a pair of swords across his back, were staring through the cracks trying to see what was going on.

"There's some sort of commotion going on in the town centre," the youngest of the hunters said, "a lot of pushing and shoving"

"Looks like the Battousai is leaving" another larger hunter said. In a relived tone of voice.

"No he's not! He's coming here!" Said what looked to be the twin of the last.

"He's going to kill us!" said another Hunter holding a crossbow turning with panicked eyes,

"He's at the door" hissed the youngest

A soft knocking echoed around the suddenly stilled inn as if a hammer had been dropped. Karou could feel the fear rolling off everyone around her. She mirrored the emotions of those nearest her to avoid standing out, but felt odd doing it. She was finding it hard to even remotely tie what she had heard of the Battousai to the man she knew as Kenshin. This was the man who had saved her from her pursuers, protected her from the sun, who cared about a village that obviously was terrified of him, and had left her ALONE SURROUNDED BY HUNTERS! On second thoughts…'This will not go unpunished' Karou thought to herself.

As a second round of knocks rattled round the inn. Karou's eyes fell upon a bat, kept behind the bar for the more rowdy drinker. Karou gently pulled it behind her leg midst the panic of the inn, and obscured it from view. Next time she got Kenshin alone, he would know her displeasure at being left vulnerable, Karou smiled evilly at the thought even while surrounded by panic.

The leader of the Hunters eventually spoke out cutting though the pandemonium "Calm down! Of all the things I know to be fact, the Battousai is rational, we'll see what he wants." The leader paused, and then turned to the youngest hunter "Yahiko, let him in"

:P:):(:D

Kenshin was getting frustrated, he'd been stood on the door step for what felt like an eternity, and it wouldn't do to still be here when the town guard made up there mind and arrived here as well. He could hear panicked whispers coming from inside the inn, from the sounds of metal on metal there were probably five hunters and a number of other inn goers caught in the cross fire.

He was contemplating the pros and cons of putting his foot through the door when he heard "Yahiko, let him in" drift out,

'Finally' Ken thought to himself as the front door opened. He dropped his hand to his ever-ready sword in case of an ambush and stepped into the gloom. A quick glance around told him all he needed to know. The door was held by a young hunter, approximately 16 to 19 in age, armed with a silver kukri knife in his hand (a/n bonus points if you know what a kukri knife is, without using wiki) and a short sword across his back. With what Ken had over heard, the teen's name must be Yahiko.

Further along, at the next window was a short hunter owning a well used crossbow, he was shaking which was not a reassuring sign but the tip of the bolt never swayed from Kenshin's midsection which showed him to be a competent marksman. Further along and stepping away from the last window was a pair of 7ft men, both holding notched yet well cared for axes in a defensive manner.

The man Kenshin assumed to be their leader was standing next to a table in the middle of the room. He wore a pair of swords across his back, and around his waist was a set of hidden throwing knifes and, unless Kenshin was mistaken, the man had a palm dagger on his right arm. By the way he moved and looked, Kenshin realised that this was a dangerous man who would take any advantage to win.

The leader sat down and gestured to the seat across the table for Ken to join him. Kenshin moved slowly across the floor keeping his wits about him, he spotted Karou amongst the inn's inhabitancy and was puzzled by the smirk on her face. But that was a puzzle for later, right now he had to convince this group to join him because as good as he was, he couldn't be everywhere at once. He'd need competent fighters to hold up and confuse the were-pack to be to give him time to strike the wolves down.

"Have a seat Battousai." The leader said as he sat down.

Kenshin sat on the edge of his chair and kept his hands free, and shifted to keep as many hunters in view as possible. He never liked chairs, preferring stools as they didn't limit his movement.

"You have me at a disadvantage, you know my name, but I don't know yours." Kenshin said, catching the eye of the leader, who stared straight back.

"We don't have to give our names to a demon like you!" hissed the man with the crossbow, Kenshin didn't react to the insult, he'd been called worse before, nor did he react to the crossbow now pointing at his head, he'd had that before too. He did however brace his foot against the table leg for an added advantage, just in case. Bravado only worked to a point then you had to back it up.

"I have a job for you" Ken said, not looking away

The Leader of the group never broke his gaze from Kenshin said "Bensan, stand down"

"You're going to TRUST HIM! You've heard the stories!" Bensan cried, his crossbow wavering away from Ken's head and towards a more neutral target of the ceiling. But the rest of the hunters griped their weapons a little tighter.

Kenshin decided to press on while the rest of the hunters were trying to make up their mind on his status as a human, depending on the stories 'Bensan' was referring to, he might not have a lot of time.

"When the sun goes down tonight this town will be attacked by a full pack of were-wolves sent from Kanryu, I need help to stop it." There were gasps from the inn's regulars and a pause from the group of hunters.

In the silence Kenshin calmly stated "and I still don't know your names."

"That can't be true, Kanryu's a myth." Said Bensan going whiter if possible,

"Like you thought the Battousai was a myth until this morning" Yahiko commented from the door.

The Leader still didn't break eye contact with Kenshin.

Suddenly the man said "The kid by the door is Yahiko, the twins are Mac and Mel. Bensan is the one with the crossbow, my name is Shingan" The leader finally broke eye contact and seemed to relax for the first time, and gazed towards the shuttered window as if he could see through it. And asked "Who have you got in this little venture?"

Slightly unnerved by how hard the man in front of him was to read Ken replied "Me, the town guards, and one other"

Shingan glanced back at Kenshin "Who?"

"I don't plan to tell you yet" Kenshin said, there was no way he'd tell a group of edgy hunters that he was travelling with a vampire, especially when they were in doubt of who's side of the light he was on.

Showing no emotion to Ken's response, Shingan asked, "Pay?"

'Another tricky subject' Ken thought as he answered, "Same as my last job, involving a pack of hound Demons"

"There was a whistle from one of the twins "Last time we hunted them we got a parade in our honour" the other shifted his axe to his shoulder and chuckled, "yea, and enough gold to pay even Bensan's gambling debts."

As the other hunters had a general laugh at the frustrated crossbow man, There leader stayed thoroughly mute. Ken reckoned that Shingan hadn't missed the fact he'd dodged that question as well. The other Hunters were relaxing their guard, Kenshin recognised the banter as a common occurrence but Shingan remained aloof, serious and definitely deep in thought.

Suddenly a small smile appeared and he said, "Okay, were in"

Kenshin had to blink to change gears, 'He agreed? I was sure he was sizing me up.' he thought as he slowly moved his hand from his sword. He kept his feet against the table leg more out of habit than actual intent of a quick getaway. 'This shouldn't be as difficult as I feared, with experienced hunters as this and the town guard, we should have no problem with a were-wolf pack.' Ken thought with plans of funnelling and trapping passed across his mind.

Shingan, lent back against his chair, having finally relaxed, "So what's the plan Boss?" he said with a smile as he put his hands behind his head. All the eyes in the inn turned to Kenshin.

Still running possible plans through his head and with the entire inn staring at him, Ken replied, "We'll wait until the Town Guard arrive and then we'll talk."

From previous experience Ken knew that packs numbered between 5 and 12 individuals, impossible for him to take alone and protect a town. With their strength and speed they'd tie him in combat and charge past him to the easy pray. But, with the hunters and the full town guard holding them up at the town wall, it would allow him to go on the offence without having to rely on an uncertain ally that was the Vampire Karou. It should be easy, he just needed the man power to guard the town. With over twenty people in the guard that had accompanied Kenshin to the church, even half would do the job with the hunters leading them.

"When do you expect the guard to turn up?" Shingan asked

Kenshin glanced around the room and said, "They'll be here right about … Now."

There was a banging on the inn door, making everyone jump. Kenshin smiled to himself as Yahiko looked though the gap, and said. "It's that head guard and two others."

'Three? There's only Three! What do I do now?' Ken thought to himself

:P:):(:D

Karou smiled when the occupancy of the inn jumped at the banging on the door. She, like Kenshin had seen the flickering movement beyond the wooden slates of the window. But when she looked at Kenshin's face she felt a shiver of doubt run down her back, It was clear that he was distinctly unhappy.

"I assume that you three are the head guards here" he asked, in what seemed more out of hope than expectance.

"Well, I am the head." Said the larger of the three, he had a scar that started form the top of his collarbone and disappeared underneath his chain mail and battered breast plate. Karou could see by the way he carried himself that he'd survived a few life or death situations.

My names Kotaro, I'm the head guard for this mess of a town, these two are my constables were the town guard,"

"What's left of it any way." One of the two sneered, "Bunch of cowards" the other muttered so low that it was possible that only Karou heard him.

"Well, were all here, so once again, what's the plan boss?" Shingan asked, a rye smile across his face. 'dangerously sharp, this one' Karou thought to herself

Ken said to the inn at large "It's not suitable for little ears, or anyone not involved. If you won't stand and fight, go home. Now." Karou thought this was a ploy to buy thinking time, but the inn took it at face value and there was a mass excuse for the back door sweeping Karou alone with it.

'Oh hell no, I'm not missing this' She thought to herself and drifted to the back of the rush and let the door close in front of her as the last 'bystander' left. Using a bit of magic called 'elsewhere' she sneaked back into the main room and took a free seat in the corner of the room to listen in.

Magic was a bit of a closed book to Karou. She had to study twice as hard for magic's that should have been natural to her. For example 'hypnotise', a basic vampire trait, would only work on the truly weak willed of individuals or rodents and left Karou with a headache that required her to lie down for an hour.

The only real magic she'd mastered was the 'elsewhere' illusion, and it had taken her years of practice. While not as effective as true invisibility, 'elsewhere' deflected attention away from the caster, but was of little use if the watchers were actively searching for the caster, or if they were practically strong minded. Unlike invisibility which was cast on oneself, 'elsewhere' was cast on the people viewing the subject, and therefore was much easier to detect.

Offensive magic, as a rule was easier to detect than defensive magic due to its nature. Defensive magic was usually cast on ones self and required a mage to recognise it from distance and/or before it was activated, where as Offensive magic leaves a recognisable 'feeling' on the back of the neck of strong minded or talented individuals. Admittedly in most cases this was after the said individual was a pile of smoking ash on the floor depending on the spell.

There was one major disadvantage to 'elsewhere.' It could be broken if someone calling attention to the caster. This meant that while using this magic, Karou had to keep herself relatively out of the way and as stealthy as possible. People would notice if she smacked Kenshin over the head with the bat she had acquired, especially in such a tense atmosphere a tense atmosphere. 'Revenge will have to wait'

She crept back to her former place behind the bar to listen to Kenshin's 'brilliant' plan would be to defend the town of apparent lambs from the wolfs at the gate.

* * *

Thanks for reading, I've already started the next chapter but this seemed a natural break.

Stubbs101


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